


The Apprentice: A Prologue

by Acin_Grayson



Category: DCU, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-02-27 16:09:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13251807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Acin_Grayson/pseuds/Acin_Grayson
Summary: In this world, there was no Bruce Wayne to swoop in and foster a traumatized orphan, and thus no Batman to curb his desires for revenge.Instead, this world had a man named Slade.





	The Apprentice: A Prologue

When the Graysons fall, there is no one to catch their youngest.

(“This circus is his home!” “This is no environment suitable for a child. For God’s sake, look at what happened tonight!”)

When Dick  _ insists _ that it was no accident, he is patronized. (“Sometimes bad things just  _ happen _ , kid. Let it go.”)

There are tears on his face and blood on his knees (“Somebody get this kid away from the bodies!”) as he’s shunted off to the police station. (“There’s no place to take ‘im, not so late at night anyways.” “So we’re just gonna hold him overnight? Like some kinda criminal?” “ _ You _ wanna take ‘im?”)

Dick shivers in a cell for hours, alternatively numb with grief or burning in rage. There is no sleep to be found.

He doesn’t know what time it is, but the sky outside the barred window is turning shades of predawn purple when the man appears. (“You say you know who’s responsible?” “Yes.” “How would you like a little help… finding him?”) He isn’t dressed like a police officer but at the time the eight-year-old is too furious to care. 

His mother had always warned against strangers but, that hadn’t helped much in the end, had it.

Besides, Dick knows where he’s headed, and he’s never heard anything good about foster care. There was a reason ‘running away to join the circus’ was a thing, and Haly’s had taken in more than a few children who’d fallen through the cracks. (“The system’s broken, Dickie.”)

The man introduces himself as Slade, says he’s going to teach Dick how to defend himself. (“How can you expect to take down Zucco if you can’t even throw a proper punch?”)

Then he tells Dick about all the injustices his parents had guarded him from. (“Of course they were hiding things from you, Grayson. No one tells children anything.”) 

Soon, Dick is so caught up in learning how to protect other people from the evils of the world, he’s forced place Zucco on a backburner. (“When are you going to let me apply all of this knowledge, Slade?” “Master.” “... What?” “A teacher is the master of an art or skill, and his students should treat him with the respect that earns.  _ I _ am your Master, and  _ you _ are my apprentice.)

He learns how to stifle his emotions, so they don’t interfere with his skills. (“What has crying ever accomplished, Richard?” “Your temper makes you sloppy, Grayson.” “Pain is  _ weakness _ , Apprentice.”) 

Time passes, and Deathstroke’s Apprentice becomes a force not to be trifled with.

(Too bad nobody ever told the ‘heroes’ that.)

**Author's Note:**

> Yall there is. So much?  
> I have so many minific-scenes written for this verse and I cant decide how to go about posting them, like should I finish decisive scenes and post when i finish them? try for a longer work? split into several medium works? should i even Bother with chronology? 
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway, let me know how you liked this! I tried for the same summary/prologue feel my other fic 'Snapshots' has.


End file.
